How you can make 'do-it-yourself' crafts and projects for your home creatively, even if you aren't artistically talented.

Saturday, October 6, 2012

From trash to something pretty...

I have always enjoyed creating things--whether it's hand-sewing a fabric purse, refashioning vintage jewelry or painting a design on a cabinet, a wall
( or the floor*) of my 1920's bungalow.

Recently, however, it was pinterest that really got my creative juices flowing.
Once I started perusing the many fascinating DIY boards of my fellow pinterest-enthusiasts, I became almost obsessed with finding discarded items to improve with tassels, lace, paint, wallpaper, etc.

One of my recent projects began with 2 old hardwood chairs I found sitting out by a neighbor's trash can. After I ascertained that the chairs were, in fact, to be thrown away, I grabbed them. What a deal! Free!

I suppose that most people would probably have stripped, sanded and refinished the chairs. Not this girl!
Based on an idea I saw on pinterest, I dug out an old lace curtain valance a friend had given me, laid it across the chair at an angle, taped it in place and spray-painted (flat white) through the lace. It made a pretty lacy doily-look design. Tip:The best type of lace for this project is one with a pattern in the lace that's more on the larger side, as the design is clearer.
I then painted the rest of the chair white.
(I used the semi-gloss interior wall & trim house paint I had on hand.)

It looked pretty good, but I decided it needed a pop of color, so I painted a fine line in deep turquoise around the edge of the lace design using a tiny artist's paint brush.
I intend to eventually put a couple of coats of varnish over both chairs to keep the design from getting scratched and I would advise you to do the same.

I was thrilled when my 'trash to treasure' chairs were featured on roadkillrescue.net a few months ago under 'Doily Design Chair'.
Having no blog at the time, I relied on the owner of that website to post it for me. I really appreciate all your help, Beckie!
Here is a picture of the lace curtain panel I used to make the spray-paint design.(notice the large design pattern)

Here are the chairs just after I spray painted through the lace.

Here is a close-up shot of the chair seat. The edges blurred a bit when some of the spray got under the lace.
Tip: Be sure to securely fasten your lace to your wood, so you have a cleaner edge to your design.

While spraying dye over a lace covered t-shirt, to have this same effect, I found it stayed put and eliminated that lifted edge, to lay my lace over a plastic table cloth (wrong side up)and spray lightly with spray adehesive. Peel off after a minute or so and the lace adheres well to your surface and gets a good seal, but is easy enough to peel off when your paint is just tacky.

I am hooked! I love this look and currently trying to come up with a few ideas on changing the look of a chair and ottoman my uncle gave me, it doesn't really match anything in my house, and we are getting ready to remodel everything, so this might just be the perfect idea to fix it up ad a little accent to the whole room! Thanks for the idea!

Great job, this certainly qualifies as a trash to treasure look. I can't wait to try this out.Congrats on making the #1 spot for road kill. Thanks for the idea, I love it, now I need to keep my eyes open for chairs that I can transform!

Can you tell me how you got the dark brown ? Did you first paint the seat of the chair and then spray white ? I have been looking at the original chairs, the lace, and the color and am having a hard time understanding how you got the color contrast and such a clean look. I love the chairs and want to get it right. Thanks you for such posting.

Cheyenne The dark brown color on the chairs is the wood stain that the chairs were when I found them.They are vintage hardwood chairs---walnut or mahogany, maybe? I just wiped the chairs down with a damp rag and, after they were totally dry, I placed my lace where I wanted it, taped it to keep it where I wanted the design and spray-painted through the lace. Thank you for the comment and let me know if you have any more questions!

know these lace chairs were done quite some time ago but I'm only now seeing them. I love doing stuff like this and yours are really stunning. I tried to do this and it came out one big blob of spray paint with some detail. I see that you're ar that suggesting tape the edges down I will try that if you have any more helpful hints for these beautiful chairs please share them with me. Thanks sooo much, jcrossetti@msn.com

know these lace chairs were done quite some time ago but I'm only now seeing them. I love doing stuff like this and yours are really stunning. I tried to do this and it came out one big blob of spray paint with some detail. I see that you're ar that suggesting tape the edges down I will try that if you have any more helpful hints for these beautiful chairs please share them with me. Thanks sooo much, jcrossetti@msn.com

know these lace chairs were done quite some time ago but I'm only now seeing them. I love doing stuff like this and yours are really stunning. I tried to do this and it came out one big blob of spray paint with some detail. I see that you're ar that suggesting tape the edges down I will try that if you have any more helpful hints for these beautiful chairs please share them with me. Thanks sooo much, jcrossetti@msn.com

Jackie, you may be spraying too close. That might be why it turned out as a blob. You also might want to be sure your spray paint is not old. And the taping is essential. Otherwise, the force of the spray might move the lace. A small pattern on your lace might cause a lack of detail, too. Try again! You can do it...Let me know how the second try turns out. Thanks for your comment!

I pinned these chairs awhile back and thru my remodeling of my "Newly Single Cottage" I have wanted to use this. I recently got a coffee table for 3.00 because the top had some damage and thought "this is the piece for the lace stencil" YAY!!! But was wondering about the pop of color. Did you paint the line and then blend it a little? Thank you so much!! Love the chairs

LaVita, I used a really tiny paint brush--smaller than your nail polise brush and edged the lace design in turquoise paint. The blurred effect was unplanned, but it looks pretty good anyway. Thank you for pinning my chairs!

gaidheallass, I really appreciate your kind comment. The response I have received from these chairs has really amazed me! That is a good idea to use spray adhesive--I should have done that and I wouldn't have had the over-spray on the edges. Happy creating!

Thank you for your post Elise. I got a wooden chair for my birthday from my little brother in February because I haven't stopped talking about your project. Lol. How sweet. My only problem has been finding a lace pattern I like. Wish me luck.

Burnheadstudio, If I may make a suggestion, try to find an 'open' lace such as the lace curtain I used. It makes a larger pattern that is then easier to edge in another color, should you decide you like that look.

I Love this idea. I'm a trash to treasure junkie as well and I am in the process of staining a dresser black. I think I will do the front of the drawers in this technique and angle the top...great idea! It will look great in the black, white, green room I am doing

Thanks for your comment, Susan! Your plan sounds great.. I would love to see photos when your room is completed. If you wouldn't mind sending some to me, here is my email address:elise.randels@gmail.com

Liadan, if you are asking about the faint hint of blue in the design, here is part of the directions from above: 'I painted a fine line in deep turquoise around the edge of the lace design using a tiny artist's paint brush.'If that isn't what you were referring to, let me know and I will try to answer it...Thanks for your comment!

Oh I am so glad I stumbled across this. I love redoing chairs, and doing one for a benefit this year. Lace has been on my mind for it since FOREVER and this is exactly what i needed! I plan on sanding mine, then painting and adding accent touch. I have to redo the cushion too. Thanks for the inspiration!!

Oh my GOODNESS!!! Awesome makeover! You really should share this great makeover at my Making Broken Beautiful party!!!! It is already happening but you still have time to link up! It runs every Thursday thru Sunday! You did an awesome job!Come inspire!Smiles!Terry

I realize I'm alittle late to the spray-paint party lol but had to write. This came out so pretty and feminine looking. I'll have to save and show my daughter. She is newly separated and has her own apartment now. She wants to do her kitchen like a girl-cave instead of the man-cave (!!) she's been living with for 14 years and I think with her color scheme of black, turquoise and gold this would be stunning in that combo. Thanks so much for inspiring me to inspire my daughter.